Laser Hair Removal in the Chicago Metro Area– Remove Bodily Hair Non-surgically

Traditional means of removing bodily hair such as shaving, waxing or tweezing may not give you desired results. Laser hair removal is a modern way to permanently get rid of unwanted body hair using physician-controlled equipment. This hair removal option uses high concentrated light that penetrates the hair follicles to destroy the hair. For effective results and guaranteed safety during and after hair removal, look for a qualified physician operating in a legal medical facility to safely remove your hair. Skin Deep Medical Spa owned and managed by the board-certified plastic surgeon, Dr. Bloch.

How do I prepare for a laser hair removal procedure?

Your surgeon will provide you with pretreatment instructions and answer any questions that you may have.

In advance of your procedure, your surgeon will ask you to:

• Wear sunscreen and/or avoid the sun
• Use a bleaching cream if you have darker skin
• Avoid pretreatment plucking, waxing, or electrolysis
• Stop smoking at least six weeks before undergoing treatment to promote better healing
• Avoid taking aspirin, certain anti-inflammatory drugs, and some herbal medications that can cause increased bleeding

• Regardless of the type of surgery to be performed, hydration is very important before and after treatment for safe recovery

What is the technique for laser hair removal?

Before the hair removal process with laser, your surgeon will trim your hair to a few millimeters just above your skin. A cold gel will then be applied on your skin to protect it from the laser heat. You will be advised to wear an eye shield to protect your eyes from the laser beams. Your physician will also wear eye protection. Next, the laser device is adjusted to suit the location, color, thickness and your skin complexion. A pulse of light directed to the treatment area follows with keen observation from your physician for any bad reactions. After all the area needing treatment is covered, anti-inflammatory cream will be applied on the treated areas to ease the discomfort. Ice-packs or cold water may also be used instead of the cream. Treatments will continue until hair thins up or stops growing. Your medical provider will likely schedule your next treatment session after 4 to 6 weeks.

Benefits of laser hair removal include:

Precision. Lasers can selectively target dark, coarse hairs while leaving the surrounding skin undamaged.

Speed. Each pulse of the laser takes a fraction of a second and can treat many hairs at the same time. The laser can treat an area approximately the size of a quarter every second. Small areas such as the upper lip can be treated in less than a minute, and large areas, such as the back or legs, may take up to an hour.

Predictability. Most patients have permanent hair loss after an average of three to seven sessions.

Life after laser hair removal

After you have had laser hair removal, your skin may appear sunburned for a day or two. Moisturizers and cold compresses will sooth your skin. You can also wear makeup after 2 days if hair removal on your face didn’t irritate your skin. Scarring and redness are some of the potential symptoms that some people may have. Blisters may occur if you have dark complexion. Changes in skin color or permanent scarring are other side effects of laser hair removal but they are rare. Treated hair will fall out after about a month following treatment. Wearing sunscreen will reduce the chances of change in skin color.